Proposal for Farm Land Issue in Japan: For Productivity Improvement in Farm Production

There are contradictions in the world's agricultural policies. The world's population continues to increase, and statistics show that it will increase to 9.7 billion people by around 2050. It is also predicted that in order to feed this growing population, agriculture will need to product more than 50% of the current amount of food. We must improve productivity with limited resources. On the contrary, policies to reduce environmental destruction and food loss, such as the European Green Deal and Farm to Fork, are being promoted. Innovation in production efficiency and environmental conservation. There is contradiction between innovation in production efficiency and environmental conservation. During the Green Revolution, large amounts of chemical fertilisers were developed and used, greatly increasing productivity at the expense of the environment. The same thing can be said about the industrial development and environmental destruction outside of agriculture. However, in the future society, prioritising only capital will not be appreciated. In agriculture, which places a particularly large burden on the environmental, we believe that farmers have an extremely difficult mission to reduce the impact on the environmental and increase productivity at the same time. I think these mission leads to sustainable agriculture. There are three points that I think are necessary to realise sustainable agriculture.

- Economical efficiency

- Natural environment

- Human resources

Agriculture is a business, so it cannot continue without economic efficiency. In a capitalist society, earning capital is essential for business continuity. Next is the natural environment. Agricultural methods that reduce environmental impact are needed. Finally, there are human assets. Many farmers cannot do it alone, so they need to hire staff. The working environment in agriculture is harsh, but we need Human Resources who can continue to thrive in that environment. We believe that a sustainable farming style can be established by meeting these three elements. I also conducted a simulation at my company about farmland consolidation which is a problem for our farm from the perspective of a new farmer. The general impression is that Japan is currently in a negative situation. The ageing of the agricultural population, the declining Japanese population, the shrinking domestic market, weather risks becoming more sever year by year, increased costs due to the weaker yen, soaring material costs, low unit sales prices, increasing amounts of abandoned farmland ect. The list goes on and on. However, I have a very positive impression of this situation. Because you know the problem, you can respond to it and take countermeasures. We believe that solving current problems will create future possibilities, and this will become our strength and added value. This report presents current agricultural problems in Japan and improvement plans, and summarises measures to realise sustainable agriculture, which is a global trend, with a particular focus on outdoor vegetables, which is my field of expertise.